An imprint technology utilizing a light curing method exists for a case of forming a recessed and projecting pattern on a substrate, such as a silicon wafer or a glass plate, using a mold, on which the recessed and projecting pattern is formed, as an original. In this technology, a light-curable resin layer is formed on a substrate. Next, alignment of a mold, on which a predetermined recessed and projecting pattern is formed, and a substrate, on which the resin layer is provided, at predetermined intervals is performed. After alignment is performed, the mold and the substrate are pressed against each other, thereby filling a recessed portion of the recessed and projecting pattern, which is formed on the mold, with a resin. Next, the resin is irradiated with light used to cure a resin, such as ultraviolet light, thereby curing the resin. Accordingly, the recessed and projecting pattern of the mold is transferred onto the resin layer. Next, after the mold and the substrate are separated from each other, etching or the like is performed using the resin layer, on which the recessed and projecting pattern is formed, as a mask, thereby forming, on the substrate, a fine structure corresponding to a fine structure of the recessed and projecting pattern that is formed on the mold. There has been a demand for microfabrication with a high fineness of the order of nanometers in these days, and the technology has attracted attention. However, in order to propel the development of the technology, further improvement in transfer accuracy and transfer speed is required. In order to meet the requirement, compatibility between a high positioning accuracy of the order of nanometers and a high movement speed is necessary for a stage on which a substrate is mounted.
As a technology capable of ensuring the compatibility, for example, a technology for a wafer stage used for a semiconductor exposure apparatus, which is described in PTL 1, exists. A fine-motion stage which is supported in a non-contact manner and on which positioning with six degrees of freedom can be performed by driving with linear motors is mounted on the wafer stage. Positioning with a high accuracy on the basis of information concerning a position that is measured by a high-accuracy laser interferometer having a resolution of nanometers or lower is made possible. Furthermore, regarding the wafer stage, high-speed movement is made possible by a coarse-motion stage having high thrust liner motors.
Citation List
Patent Literature
PTL 1 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-106344
However, because the wafer stage used for a semiconductor exposure apparatus is controlled with a very high gain in order to achieve high-speed movement and high-accuracy positioning, a large manipulating variable is generated for a slight position error. Thus, actuators need large driving forces. As a result, when the technology for the wafer stage used for a semiconductor exposure apparatus as described in PTL 1 is applied, as it is, to the imprint technology utilizing a light curing method, in a state in which the resin is cured, the resin receives forces reactive to the driving forces, and, further, the reactive forces are transmitted to the mold side. For this reason, the fixed position of the mold and the fixed position of the substrate are shifted from each other, and, further, an excessive force is exerted on the resin. A problem that the recessed and projecting pattern is broken occurs.
In contrast, when the control gain is reduced before contact, the positioning accuracy of the substrate stage decreases, and there is a problem that the position of the recessed and projecting pattern which is to be transferred is shifted.